I'm such a Procrastinator Sometimes.....

I have been working on a portrait for the last couple of weeks, more as a practice than anything else.  Also because the photo my cousin had of her daughter was just so wonderful, I wanted to see if I could create the magic.  Sometimes It's better to put it away for a couple of days and then look and see if there is anything that needs to be changed.  That's what I'm doing now.  It'll go to my cousin when I'm done, so I want it to be right.

So, the other day I went through lots of photos to see what I could start now.  Found one of the train in North Creek, in the snow, it was snowing when I took the photo.  I always thought it would make a great painting, so I had my photo.  I set it up, then the light was awful and I couldn't paint, or so I told myself.  I went on the internet to look at new quilt designs, trucks for my grandson, art supplies, Ava Garner's life, Gina Lollabrigida's life now.....well, you get it.  Yesterday was a day out with my daughter and grandson, which was wonderful, but by the time I got home, the day was done and no pastel ever touched that ampersand board.

This morning, after an hour walk with the dogs, I thought I really should go get that quilting material for my grandson's truck quilt, but maybe I should start that painting, too.  Ok, I started the painting, laid in the composition, started the background.  My husband had to take the car down to Queensbury for a part so I have the entire day to devote to this pastel.  I was pretty satisfied with what I'd started, but my work space was pretty messy, so I cleaned it up a bit.  Then I looked at my living room and the kitchen and realized that I hadn't really cleaned since August.......after my second cup of coffee, I started cleaning the main room.  I'm now almost done, sort of......there are papers on the table that need files,  but here I am on my blog, talking about how I should be painting today.  I'm afraid that I'll not finish the cleaning because from here I might go on Facebook and stay an hour or so.  I have my painting wrapped and ready to go to UPS to the Coutts Museum for that show, but on the bed in the back room, along with the painting, is a commissioned piece that I need to send out, too ( I'm sorry for the delay Carolyn),  the Richeson board that I'm trying to get the dings out with primer (it's working, Marie), a frame that needs to go to the basement - well, you get it - another mess to clean up and another procrastination in the works.........Well, anyway, I did a small 7x5 pastel of the autumn birches the other day, so here's that one!

And now the dogs needs to go out.......ah well.......I DO plan on returning to my train today, I really do plan on it........

Two days at the North Creek NY Fall Festival - Painting

It was a beautiful weekend, almost too hot, for Fall in the Adirondacks.  I was asked to bring some framed pastels and my easel and paint at the North Creek Fall Festival.  We had so many people and many questions about "chalk" and "how do you do that"?  I gave out lots of my bookmarks and spent time explaining the process in painting with pastel.  It was lots of fun.  I guess if I didn't enjoy people as much as I do, I might have had a huge headache at the end of the two days, but I felt invigorated and happy to share pastels with so many people who have never seen them in action!  These are the paintings I completed during the festival.

                                                               Fall Colors  9x12

Autumn on the Hudson  9x12

                                                        

Traveling Route 40, West to Albuquerque

We were on the road late last May, trying to make it to Albuquerque, NM before the sun set.  I think I took a photo while my husband was driving at least 75 mph (probably 85 actually.....).  I loved the sky and those clouds.  It's quite amazing how little cars are on Route 40 when you cross the Mississippi - I love the wide open spaces.  A fun painting for me.

16x20 on Richeson Gatorboard, pastel